Stadium Improvements Could Help Keep USA-Mexico

When I talked to new Crew operator-investor Anthony Precourt a few days after he acquired the
team, I asked for his thoughts on Crew Stadium.

“We anticipate playing in Crew Stadium for the intermediate future,” he said
(read more here). “First things first: We have to improve our play on the
field, improve our business operations, and that will lead to hopefully improving the stadium or
building a new stadium in Columbus.”

Any such thoughts could go a long way toward helping Columbus maintain its grip on the United
States-Mexico World Cup qualifying match. Tonight marks the fourth straight time the game has been
played at Crew Stadium, but a growing interest in soccer across the country
has created competition for the game. In addition to winning tonight’s match,
ESPN analyst Alexi Lalas said infrastructure could help improve the town’s chances of keeping the
game.

“Barring a new stadium, I don’t think that Columbus can do anything more,” Lalas said. “They
pack the stadium. They make it an advantage to the U.S. in terms of how they pack it, and it
translates. Barring getting another stadium and doing the same thing, I don’t see what they can do.
There’s just a pure numbers part of the equation that at some point, given ticket prices and given
the revenue part of the equation, they are going to outweigh any negatives that could possibly
come.”

Fellow ESPN analyst Taylor Twellman, who was an unused sub in the 2005 USA-Mexico game at Crew
Stadium, said he likes the thought of diversification. Twellman pointed to the growth in cities
such as Seattle, Kansas City and Salt Lake City as other viable options for the game.

“With how Kansas City’s atmosphere is – if Seattle had natural grass, a lot of other cities
would be in trouble,” he said. “I’m a realist and I know a lot of people are going to be bothered
with that, but if Seattle has a natural grass stadium and the field is great who’s to say that they
can’t get other things?”

Twellman also has a suggestion for Crew Stadium.

“I think the new ownership there should upgrade the stadium, and if he upgrades the stadium who
knows, maybe he solidifies it and that Mexico game will always be there,” he said. “I think the
lure of Kansas City – everyone talks about Kansas City, but the US-Guatemala game (Oct. 16, 2012)
there was dead silent. That wasn’t the best atmosphere for the first 20-30 minutes. There’s still
flaws in other atmospheres, but as a whole there are now five or six atmospheres that are legit and
they’re only going to grow as long as those five or six push each other.”

The United States national team will return to Sporting Park on Oct. 11 when it faces
Jamaica.

Former U.S. goalkeeper Tony Meola, who will be signing autographs outside the stadium today as
part of the Allstate Fan Zone, said he thinks Crew Stadium is likely to continue hosting World Cup
qualifiers in the future. It’s just against which opponent, he said, that remains unseen.

“A game like this, or this game?” he said. “It’s a World Cup qualifier or a Mexico World Cup
qualifier. There’s a difference now between those two. Let’s face it: if the U.S. wins this game
again, next time the cycle comes around I think you have to look at this game being here again.
There’s no question other teams are doing great things. Kansas City, Seattle and some other
stadiums that aren’t MLS stadiums have done a great job as well. I’m sure they will consider it.
Who knows: four years from now, Columbus could have a new stadium.”

Legendary broadcaster Ian Darke, who will call the game for ESPN, said Columbus holds an
impressive reputation when it comes to soccer.

“My impression was that this was a proper soccer hotbed with real fans,” said Darke, who called
last year’s USA-Jamaica game at Crew Stadium. “The comparison with some other places where I’ve
commentated in the United States was quite stark. They create a superb atmosphere and I’m glad that
they keep on bringing Mexico there because that’s the right place to make it as difficult as
possible for their usually main-group rivals.”

Competition and talk of a new stadium have dominated much of the conversation about the Crew’s
future, but Twellman said he feels this situation will sort itself out in short order.

“I think Columbus needs to be pushed,” he said. “Their stadium needs to be upgraded. There needs
to be a roof. Imagine Tuesday’s atmosphere with a little bit of roof. I’m telling you, it’s ten
times louder. I don’t see Columbus going anywhere because Tuesday will prove to everyone again and
even the players will leave the field and say, ‘Yeah, it was awesome in Seattle, it was awesome in
Salt Lake, it was awesome in K.C., but we’ve got Mexico in front of this pro-American crowd in the
Midwest.’ There’s something pretty cool about that.”